Keith Flanagan

Fancy a romantic getaway, reconnecting with your other half? What better way than to head out to the gorgeous areas surrounding NYC in an equally-gorgeous and romantic Airbnb? Nothing says romance like sleeping in someone else's bed. Live out your rom-com chick-flick fantasies and spend the night in the Big Apple before frolicking off to somewhere cozy for the night. Luckily for you, there are a million and one places to stay listed on Airbnb. From off-the-grid cabins to riverfront cottages, we've picked the best of the best for your holiday romance. Read on, star-crossed lovers, read on.  Updated April 2024: Psst! There are two new properties in this list, and we think you're gonna like them. Look out for the loft love nest and an A-frame hideaway tucked away behind the trees.  RECOMMENDED: ❤️ Valentine’s Day in NYC guide🌎 10 Airbnbs that'll make you feel like you're in Europe😉 The sexiest hotels in NYC Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every Airbnb featured, we've based our list on top reviews, hosts, and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

At the first hint of snow, ski enthusiasts start planning for the first chance to hit the slopes. There are plenty of opportunities to go skiing and snowboarding near the city, and a day trip should suffice. But for those looking for a ski-focused getaway, look no further than these amazing ski resorts near NYC. You’ll enjoy skiing, scenery, outdoor activities, and of course après-ski relaxation. Even beginners and non-skiers will enjoy a stay in these areas. From a mere two to six hours away, your next snowy escape is within reach, whether you choose a mountain in New York, New Jersey, Vermont, or Massachusetts. Be sure to check opening times and lift ticket pricing before you head out, as these can fluctuate. Once you're back in the city, keep that aprés-ski glow going in one of these NYC bars with fireplaces. RECOMMENDED: The best Airbnbs near NYC with snowy viewsRECOMMENDED: The best Airbnbs for ski getaways from NYC RECOMMENDED: The coziest Airbnbs near NYC This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

While we can never quit NYC, with its amazing restaurants, internationally-recognized bars and world-class museums, the crowds, the hustle and the pace, however, can lead to some serious stress and, well, sometimes we need a weekend trip. Fortunately, the location of our fine city affords easy access to many other exciting, yet more relaxed destinations. These weekend getaways from NYC offer fun, relaxation and a little something different not too far from home. Whether you’re taking a car or public transportation, these destinations are easily accessible in five hours or less. Enjoy nature, chill by a lake, take in some art or do a little shopping. From quaint towns to beachy locales, a weekend away will be just the thing to recharge. If you don’t have a whole weekend to spare, consider one of these day trips from NYC. Looking for a longer getaway? A road trip from NYC might be for you. But these weekend getaways are just right, opening up a whole new world in upstate New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and more. RECOMMENDED: 🚕 Best things to do in upstate New York🏖️ Best beach hotels near NYC🍺 The best Airbnbs near breweries outside of NYC⛰️ The coziest Airbnb cabins near NYC This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

Is that a hint of autumn in the air? When the summer heat breaks and temps start to fall, the crisp breezes signal a change of seasons that means it’s time for hot cider, leaf peeping and that all-time fall favorite: apple picking. Like the best summer produce — strawberries, cherries and blueberries — apples taste better when you pick them yourself, and there are plenty of orchards and farms for apple picking near NYC that offer PYO. Apple orchards in New York, Connecticut and New Jersey let you pick your own by the bushel, so you can bring your sweet, hard-earned bounty home for snacking and pie-making. Apple picking can be a part of a great family day trip too, as most of these farms also offer hayrides, corn mazes, hot cider donuts, farm-fresh snacks and even a chance to pet some farm animals. Crop availability varies, so check with each destination first, and start planning your fun-filled apple picking adventure.

When it comes to staying in a super-fancy Airbnb, who says you have to be a tourist? Even New Yorkers can indulge in a change of scenery every once in a while. And Airbnb is the perfect place to explore your own city. The site is full of rentals that are whacky and glorious, that give you a chance to live an entirely different life for a day (or a few). Below we’ve picked out some of NYC’s most fascinating and brilliant Airbnb rentals. RECOMMENDED: 🥯Check out the best New York City Airbnbs 🛏 See the best boutique hotels in New York City🛁 stay in the best Airbnbs with hot tubs in New York🍒How about the sexiest hotels in NYC? Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every Airbnb featured, we've based our list on top reviews, hosts and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

With all the things to do with kids in NYC, why would you ever want to leave? You can fill their days with both indoor and outdoor activities, from kid-friendly museums and attractions to amazing playgrounds and much more. Sometimes the family needs a change of scenery though. Kid-friendly day trips—whether to a nearby amusement park or perhaps a hiking trail—can do the trick, but for a more epic option, these family weekend getaways offer plenty of fun and adventure. From historic towns and fun on the beach to all-inclusive family resorts and the great outdoors, you’ll make lasting memories when you take the crew out for a full weekend away. You’ll return to the city refreshed and ready to tackle a new week.

What’s the most romantic thing you can say to your partner this year? It sounds something like this: Let’s get out of town. For a truly memorable celebration, skip the chocolates or flowers and surprise your significant other with one of these romantic day trips. Down to splurge? Head out of the city for a weekend-long romantic getaway in NY state or book a suite in one of the most romantic hotels in NYC. If you really have to stay local, try out one of these unique date ideas or cuddle up in one of the coziest restaurants and bars in NYC. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to day trips from NYC

Flourishing with tree-lined lakes, historic port towns, sweeping valleys and snow-capped peaks, the sheer range of New Hampshire getaways is astounding for such a small state. And yet the landscape leaves plenty of room for surprises, too, with a popular seacoast and bite-size towns packed with big-city flavors. Whether you’re looking for a romantic lakeside escape or a remote mountain adventure, one of these New Hampshire getaways is bound to get your heart pumping. Discover more about New Hampshire Tyler McGill: part of the 'How I Live Free' series by Visit New Hampshire.

We know what you’re thinking: there aren’t really castles and fortresses in the U.S., are there? After all, things like turrets, moats, and drawbridges are the provenance of Europe, where tales of princesses and dragons warranted such fortified fantasies. But while the U.S. lacks royal lineage, it has no shortage of bored castle enthusiasts who’ve built their own medieval-style dwellings, and the country certainly has no hesitation to put up a wall (plenty of cities began as military forts, after all).Sure, you’ve probably heard about some of the best castles in the U.S. (like the iconic Hearst Castle, built by the publishing magnate), but there are plenty of fortified, awe-inspiring structures that fly under the radar. Often hard to get to—or just hard to wrap your mind around—these hidden castles and fortresses are sure to give you medieval thoughts. RECOMMENDED: the best places to visit in the U.S.

Whether or not we felt comfortable enough to hit the club, 2021 was the year we got our groove back. Hell, many of us had given it a go at home. We’d played that Dua Lipa album to death. We’d tried, desperately, to make ‘lockdown discos’ a thing. Last year, some of the bigger legends among us even attended virtual NYE parties. It was good fun, until it got boring – fast. Though much of the world has slipped in and out of lockdown this year, there were moments when most of us were able to get back on the dancefloor. The pre-night hype, the thump-thump-thump, the endless spilled drinks: by God, it felt good. And even if we weren’t quite up to a night on the town, as 2021 went on, there were certainly many more reasons to regain that spring in our step. The vaccine rollout sped up. We saw our loved ones again. And we danced – in bars, on street corners, and yes, at home. So wherever we wound up, however we got there, here are 13 songs that got Time Out writers dancing again this year. RECOMMENDED: 15 really, really great books that got us through 2021

Few sensations beat completing that epic volume that’s been sitting on your shelf for months. And this year – this patchy, patchy year – many of us finally did it. We found ourselves trapped at home, desperate for things to do. And actually, turns out, when it came to it, that book wasn’t so intimidating after all. But not only did we simply have more time to enjoy stuff like reading, we also went out of our way to do it because we needed an escape. We needed to be transported to new worlds, to open our eyes to new things, to escape the undeniable bleakness of reality. For many us, films, TV shows and books were our lifeline through the roughest of times. So, as 2021 comes to a close, we asked our editors around the world – literary nerds, one and all – to recommend one book that really resonated with them over the past 12 months. From old classics we really should’ve got round to before to new releases that properly rocked, here are the books that got us through the second (at times nice, but generally godawful) year of the pandemic. We hope you enjoy them, too.RECOMMENDED: The 20 best films of 2021 and the best TV shows we binged this year

Just because you finally figured out a Halloween costume idea that’ll bring the house down, you’re not finished: your home needs a look, too. Need some inspo? This year, the best Halloween decorations in the USA are over-the-top and killing it with kooky, spooky displays. And we hate to break it to you, but a single jack-o’-lantern just won’t cut it this year. One stately home in New Orleans, dubbed the ‘Kraken House’ by locals, has transformed into an octopus with six massive tentacles bursting from its second-floor balcony. Another home, sporting some of the best Halloween decorations in New York City, is crawling — literally — with glow-in-the-dark skeletons (as if the real ones weren’t creepy enough). Need some inspiration to create your own haunted house this year? Take a look at our top picks of the best Halloween decorations in the USA, break out those black lights, and let your inner spook shine. RECOMMENDED: scary movie houses in the USA

If you’ve ever dreamed of house swapping with the McCallisters during the holidays, the wait is over: you can actually book the Home Alone house for the first time this year.Tied to the reboot that no one asked for (the film franchise’s latest installment, Home Sweet Home Alone, recently debuted on Disney+), Airbnb reimagined the Chicago home for a special one-night stay. Will Kevin McCallister be there? Not this time. But Kevin’s big brother, Buzz, will host the stay for up to four guests (apparently Macaulay Culkin was booked) and promises to be a little more accommodating than he was thirty years ago. Photograph: Sarah Crowley Does that mean he stocked up on milk, eggs, and fabric softener? No, but he’s bringing his pet tarantula (seriously, the booking includes a meet-and-greet with a real-life tarantula), and he’ll set you up with a special viewing of the new film, too.The stay also includes booby traps scattered about the house (fear not: you’ll set them up yourself), plenty of ‘90s junk food (like microwavable Kraft Macaroni & Cheese), Chicago’s “finest pizza” (let’s hope they double up on the cheese), and a LEGO Ideas Home Alone set that you can take home. And, of course, the amenities include a surprisingly searing aftershave so you can relive that iconic mirror moment.  Photograph: Sarah Crowley 
Curiously, the listing doesn’t explicitly say you can’t take a sled down the stairs, but don’t get any crazy ideas. The best part? The promotional Airbnb only costs $25